Milking parlor



H.- a BABSON ETALJ Re. 22,657

IILHIG run-on- Original Filed April 19. 193B z-snmt -sht 1 Aug. 7, 1945. H. B BABSON ETAL IILKING PARLOH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Origipalfihd April 19, 1958 22250222, gl py dfikal/ fa cab. J

Reissues! Aug. 7', 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Hollywood, 111., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Babson Bros. 00., Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Original No. 2,198,048, dated April 23, 1940, semi No. 202,884, April 19, '1988.

pplication for reissue 5, 1945. Serial No. 580,942

' g 12' Claims. (01. 119-16) Our invention relates in general to the caging of animals and has more particular reference to the provision of a milking parlor having improved means iorentrapping animals in stanchions for milking.- The invention has particular reference to a construction for caging--animals, including the arrangement of a bank of animal cages, i'acilitating entry and exit of the animals.

The present invention comprises a reissue of our Patent No, 2,198,048, issued April 23, 1940, which in turn comprised a continuation in part oi our copending application, Serial No. 747,321,

illed October 8, 193 4, now-Patent No. 2,136,228,

issued November 8, 1938.

An important object of the invention is to arrange a series of animal stanchions or cages in staggered or stepped relationship whereby adjacent cages have common structural portions; a further object being to incline each cage toward the entrance of the milking pa'rlorso thatanimals in entering the parlor will be guided successively intoadjacent cages; 'a still further object being to provide each cage with anentrance having adoor which, when open, will guide the. animal into the desired cage and prevent it ir'om entering other cages o! the series.

- Another important object is to provide a milk ing parlor having a; series of animal cages arranged to provide a substantially unobstructed side view of the animal in each cage, the cages being arranged so that adjacent cages have com mon structural parts and means requiring each animal entering the parlor to enter a desired 7 case.

Another important object is to provide a cage orstall having an animal entry and a separate animal exit so that an animal in entering and leavingthe cage follows a continuous ath "of movement, thus eliminating the necessity of backing the animal out or the cage. I

"Another important object is to provide a milking cage or stall having separate entry and exit openings provided with gates and including gateoperating mechanism whereby-the entryand exit gates may be operated in a definite timed relament an animal in the cage and the subsequent release and-exit of the animal, the entry gate being opened after the opening of the exit gate and remaining open after the exit gate is closed suillciently to prevent escape oi the animal from the stanchion, the entry gate being subsequently closed to entrap the animal in the stanc'h'ion; a further object being to form the exit gate with means adapted, when the gate is fully closed, to secure the neck of the animal in the stall.

Another important object is to provide an animal stall having separate entrance and exit open- .ings, the exit opening having a gate adapt d to remain at least partially closed as the animal enters the cage, and having means for fully closing the exit gate after the animal is in place in the stall, said exit gate when fully closed having stanchion means adapted tosecure the neck of the animal to prevent undue movement thereof in the cage during the milkin operation.

Numerous other objects, advantagesand inherent functions of the invention will be apparent from the iollowin'g description; which taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings: ,1 Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view 01 a milking parlor embodying our present invention;

Figure 2 is a section taken substantially along the line 2-1 in Figure 1;

, Figures 3,4 and are diagrammatic views illustrating the progressive positions occupied by the gates and the gate operating mechanism of an animal cage embodying our present invention;

tionship so that, when the entry-gate is open, the

exit gate may be in position to obstruct the exit of the animal, a further object being to operate the several gates in a definite cycle. Another. important object is to provide an ani mal stall or cage having separate entry and exit openings, including gates for said openings, and mechanism for operating the gates in a predetermined cycle'to permit the entry andentrap- Figure 6 is a perspective view illustrating a cage made in accordance with the teachings of our present invention;

Figure '7 is a, perspective view illustrating the details ofgate operating mechanism; and

Figures 8 and 9, respectively, are sectional views taken substantially along the lines 8-8 and 8l in Figure I.

To illustrate our invention, we have shown on the drawings a milking parlor comprising a milking room or station H and a waiting room I; preferably separated. by a partition or wall I! having a door opening 11, through which animals to be milked may enter the milking room II from the waiting room II, and a door opening It, through which the animals mayescape from the room ll after being milked. The openings I! and I! may, if desired, be provided with preferably sliding doors 2|, The room H has a main floor 23 having an elevated portion 25 forming a milking platform or stage 21 across the end of the room adjacent the wall IS. The forward edge of the platform 25 is providedwith a coping o'r ridge One side of the cage may comprise an upright connected at its upper end in a bracket car- 29 extending at a slight elevation above the upper; I: ried by the horizontal connecting member 48 exlevel of the platform which is provided with drainage means, as, for instance, the gutter 3|,

behind the coping. Cages or stalls 33 are erected upon the platform to receive and entrap animals therein during the milking operation. The stalls 33-are arranged adjacent the forward edge'of the platform and each has an entry way facing toward the door opening H to facilitate entry into the cages of animals entering the room l l through 1| substantially U- shaped configuration having horisaid door opening. The cages are also arranged so that a substantially unobstructed view of the animals therein is afforded to spectators in the room on the main ifloor 23. The stallssare preferably of rectangular construction and are '10 of a frame comprising horizontal members 1| and trranged in staggered relationship with a corner f one stall coinciding with and forming the dilgonally' opposite corner of the next adjacent stall. This ar a gement not only permits the gated entry end of each stall to face thedoor opening I], but also affords a substantially unobstructed'view of the animals in every stall,

and, furthermore, reduces the cost of material 'required in the construction since adjacent stalls have common structural elements. It will be seen thatthe stalls 33 comprise a rles, the lon,-' gitudinal axis of each stall of th series being inclined with respect to the wall l5, and the side of the structure facing away from the wall I! ulative operations including adjustment of milk- 40 extends from the bracket 39 horizontally into the space between the upright II and- 35, and

ing apparatus, opening and closing the entry and exit gates, and the like, while remaining on the main floor 23, adjacent the cages and may have a The cagemay be formed of any suitable ma- 'prefer' to build the same of structural members comprising metal tubes or pipes.- To this end the cage or stall 33 may comprise four corner up.-

t 3. d el p l 37 of one 50 member 3| and which extends from the upright 35 into the space between the uprights 35 and TI.

stall forming the diagonally opposite upright 35 of the nextadjacent stall of/ ends of the members 35, 31,33 and 4| are preferably embedded in or otherwise secured on the floor 25, on which the cage is-erected, the pre-' ferred arrangement being to form the platform of concrete and to anchor the lower ends of the per ends of the uprights in spaced relationship.

The space defined between the uprights 35- and afl'ords an entrance opening into the cage.

The upright ll supports a gate 43 comprising a structural member arranged in substantially U- iorm, the parallel arms extending horizontally and connected at their ends'with theupright 4|.

The gate 43 is arranged to swing into position obstructing the entrancev opening between the uprights 35 and II in order to form a closurefor said entrance. The end of the-case. oppomte from the entrance opening, is closed by meansof 45 terial and in any desired fashion; however, we

e series. The lower tending between the uprights 4| and 3L This upright 59 carries a gate 53, which normally extends in theopening defined in the side wall of a the cage between the upright 53 and the comer zontally extending arms, the free ends of which are pivotallyfastened to the upright 59 by means of brackets 55. The-opening between the uprights 4| and 59 is permanently closed by means 13, the opposite ends of which are carried in brackets supported on th'eupri'ghts 4| and 59.

The side of the cage, facing away from the partitlon [5,,comprises an upright 11 secured at its a lower end on or in. the platform and secured at its upper end to the connecting member ll extending between the upper ends of the uprights 35 and 39 by means of a bracket 19. A connects int-brace 85 also is preferably provided between. the spaced members" and on opposite sides of the cage, said brace 85 being fastened atone end to the bracket 18 on one member 41 and at its other end to a bracket 81 carried by the other member 41. The. space'between the uprights 33 and TI is closed by means of horizontal members 3| and 33 extending between and fastened to the brackets 51 and brackets 58 on the upright 11. The lower bracket 83 0n the post 11 receives the end of a closure member 3|, which thence upwardly to form an upright portion 95,

the end of which is fastened ,in a bracket 33 carried on the horizontal member 41,

The upper bracket 89 receives one end of a horizontally extending member 31, the opposite,

end of which is connected with the upright portion of the member 3|. The upright 35 also carries-a member Ill similar in shape to the The member ||l| is fastened at one end to and extends horizontally from the lower bracket on the upright '35, the member |fl| .being formed 55 with an upright portion I55, which extends'parallel to and spaced fromthe upright portion 95 of the member 9|; being fastened-in a bracket I33 carried by the connecting member 51 near the bracket 93. The upper bracket 55 on the upright 30 35 receives'oneend of a horizontally extending member I01, the other end of which is connected to the upright portion N5 of the member ||I|, Vertical members I03 are mounted in spaced 'apart" relationsh p between and connected at their 05 opposite ends'to the spaced members 5| and 53,.

II and 13, 8| and 33, the spaced arms of the.U shaped sate frames 43 and 53' and between the horizontal-bars 31 and I51 and the-horizontally v extending portions 9| and |l||',-inorder toclose in the sides of the cage.'

-, horizontal rods II and "mounted in 15 similarly fastened to and carried by the gate 53 by means of the members III so that when the gate 53 is closed, the members III and H3 will extend vertically in spaced-apart position whereby the neck of an animal in the cage will be secured therebetween, the uprights III and H3 thus forming a neck yoke. Vertical members II9, similar to the members I09, are or may be fastened between the members H and the members H1 in order to prevent insertion of the head of the animal between the uprights I1 and III and be- '23. The pan I2I may also be easily removed from the bracket I23 in order to facilitate cleaning.

The gate-carrying upright M of each stall is preferably arranged sufficiently close to the wall I5 so that when the gate 49 is open, it will block the passageway between the upright 4| and the l wall I5 so that an animal'entering the milkin room will be prevented from passing along the runway, between the stalls and the wall I5, beyond a stall of which the entrance door is open. The animal entering the milking room is thus required to enter a desired stall. When the entrance door 49 is open, the exit door 63 may be at least partially closed to prevent the animal from making an immediate exit. The exit door'53, however, is

sufficiently open to permit the animal to insert 2 its head between the uprights III and H3. As soon as the animal has thus entered the stall, the gate 63 is operated to fully close the neck yoke, comprising the uprights III and H3, about the neck of the animal, to thereby trap the animal in position to be milked in the cage. The entrance door 49 may be closed at the same time. After the milking operation is completed, the exit door 63 is opened, thus simultaneously releasing the neck of the animal from the stanchion and the animal is permitted to leave the stall. The exit door, when fully open, blocks return of the animal through the passageway between the stalls and the wall I5 toward the door I'I so that the animal is forced to leave the milking room through the door I9, thus avoiding congestion and interference with entering animals.

It will be seen that the arrangement provides for a continuous progressive movement of the animals through the door II into any desired stall of the series; and then, after the milking operation is' completed, the animals'pass in a forward direction through the stall-exit and subsequently leave the milking room through the door I9. Confusion, through the necessity of backing the handle is lnthe one position, both of the doors 49 and 63 are fully open to permit the animal to escape from the stall. After the animal has escaped, the handle may be moved to another control position, in which the exit door is partially closed, the entrance door remaining fully open to permit an animal to enter the stall and insert its head between the bars III and H3. The handle may then be moved to still another position, closing the entrance gate and locking the yoke pieces III and H3 about the neck of the animal.

This sequence of operation may, of course, be accomplished by any suitable mechanism, but we prefer to utilize and, therefore, illustrate a lever member I29 pivoted on a support I3I fastenedto the member 41 adjacent the upright 11. The lever I29 has an arm I33, which is connected by means of a rod I to the control handle I25, so that, when the control I25 is moved, the lever I29 will likewise be turned on its axle I3I. The upright 4| carries a rotatable member on which the gate 49 is secured. On this rotatable member animals out of the stalls and from requiring the milked animals to leave the milking parlor by the same door through which they enter, is consequently avoided, and milking is accomplished in a speedy and eilicient manner. a

In order to control the entrance and exit doors conveniently, we provide means for controlling the operation of the same from a single control located preferably in position accessible to an attendant stationed on the floor 23. To this end, we provide a tiltable control handle I25 preferably mounted on a bracket I21 carried by the upright 11. This handle may be moved successively to several control positions; and means cooperatively associated with .the.control handle is provided. so that when is also fastened a pinion I31, preferably of fragmentary character, which is drivingly engaged with a rack I39, which in turn is drivingly connected with the lever I29, so that the rack I39 moves in response to the rotation of the lever I29 on its axle. The driving connection between the rack I39 and the lever IZS-preferably comprises a lost-motion arrangement illustrated specifically as a driving pin I4I carried on the lever I29 and operating in a slot I43 formed in the rack bar. The pin I also drives a rod I45 connected with the gate 53 preferably by being joumalled as at I4'|.on a projection I49 carried by the gate 53.

The relative position of the gate-operatingmechanism shown in. Figures 3, 6 and '7 is that occupied by the parts when both gates are fully closed and the stanchion is latched by means of a detent comprising a lever I53 pivoted on a bracket I55 carried by the brace 95. In order to release an animal trapped in the cage, the handle I25 is moved from the position shown in Figures 3, 6 and '7 in a counterclockwise direction, so that the lever I 29 is moved in a direction immediatelyto impart longitudinal movement to a connecting rod I5! in a direction to turn the latch lever I53 in a direction to release its hooked end I51 from engagement with the movable member H3 of the stanchion and thus permit opening movement of the member I I3 and the'gate 83, on which it is mounted. At the same time, the connecting rod I45 will be moved longitudinally toward the right, viewing Figure 7, and will cause initial opening movement of the exit gate 53. The gate 49,, however, will not initially be moved because of the lost-motion provided by the sliding of the pin I4I in the slot I43. When the exit gate 63' is partially opened, however, the pin I4I will have reached the end of the slot I43 and will commence to move the rack I39 in order to open the entrance gate, so that thereafter the entrance and exit gates open simultaneously. i

The animal in'the stall, when the exit gate is fully open, as shown in Figure 5, will naturally move forwardly out of the stall through the exit opening and will, as heretofore mentioned, be directed toward the door I9, After the animal has'left the stall, the handle I25 is moved in a clockwise direction, which causes the exit ate to partially close, to the position shown in Figure 4, without, however, moving the open entrance gate, the lost-motion connection between the lever I29 and the rack bar I39 permitting this operation. The slot I43 is long enough to permit the exit cal means.

cape of an animal through the exit opening without preventing insertion of the head of the animal between the yoke members Illv and H3. Meanwhile, the entrance door remainsin fully opened position.

It will be noted that the yoke members I I I and 3 form a part of the exit gate and that the animal in passing from the stall passes entirely between the yoke members. An animal entering through the door I! will be guided into the open cage entrance and will insert its head between bars 1H and H3 but may not pass through the partially closed exit gate. Thereupon, the lever I25 may be moved to the position shown in Figures 3, 6 and 7, which movement will simultanefously cause the complete closure of the exit gate,

the entrapment of the neck of the animal between the yoke members Ill and H3, the closure of the entrance gate 49 and'the latching of the stanchion by means of the member I53,- the curled 'end I51 of which hooks around the stanchion.

member H3.

The milking cage of our present invention is adapted to permit an animal enclosed in the cage to. be milked by any preferred milking method,

although the cage is particularly well adapted for use where milking is accomplished by mechani- The horizontal portions of the members 9| and IBI are deformed at I59 to provide a space or opening substantially opposite the udder of the animal in the cage so that milking may, if desired, be accomplished'by-hand. The cage, however, is well adapted to facilitate the use of mechanical milking apparatus;

The opening between the upright portions 95 and I05 facilitates the application of mechanical milking apparatus which maybe suspended from the animal itself as by means of a belt extending across the back of the animal, with the opposite ends of the belt connected to the milking apparatus, which thus may be easily adjusted by an attendant through the aforesaidopening defined by the bent portions I95 of the members SI and 1M. Alternatively, the milking apparatus 1 may be supported on the cage itself as, for example, by the suspension mechanism which forms the subject-matter claimed in our co-pending application Serial No. 747,321, aforesaid.

It is thought that the invention and numerous of its attendant advantages and inherent functions will be understood from the foregoing description, and it is obvious that numerous changes maybe made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of our invention, or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages, the form herein described being a'preferred embodiment for the purpose of illustrating our invention.

We claim: 1 g

1. An animal cage having an entrance and an exit comprising a yoke adapted when closed to entrap..the neck of an animal in the cage and when open to release the neck of the animal and permit the animal to escape'from the cage through the open yoke, and a manually operable member for opening and closing said yoke, a latch .to secure the yoke in latched position, and means actuated by said member for tripping the latch. 2. An animal cage comprising a plurality of uprights, a pair of said uprights defining a cage entrance, another pair of said uprights defining a cage exit, gate forming means on said cage at said'entrance and at said exit, and gate-operatate to be closed sufficiently to prevent the-esing means comprising a lever, means operatively connecting said lever with each of said gates whereby manipulation of said lever ma control both of the gates, the means, connecting said lever with at least one of said gates, including a connection whereby the operation of said gate may take place in a predetermined delayed sequence with respect to the other gate.

3. An animal cage comprising a plurality of uprights, a pair of said uprights defining a cage entrance, another pair of said uprights defining a cage exit, gate-forming means swingably mounted on said cage at said entrance and at said exit, and gate-operating means comprising a lever, means operatively connecting said lever with each of said swingabl mounted gateforming means whereby manipulation of said lever may control both of the gate-forming means, the means, connecting said lever with at least one of said gate-forming means, including a lost motion connection whereby the operation of said one of the gate-forming means may take place in a predetermined delayed sequence with respect to the other of said gate-forming means.

4. An animal cage comprising a plurality of uprights, a pair of said uprights defining a cage entrance, another pair of said uprights defining a cage exit, gate-forming means swingable on said cage at said entrance and at said exit, and gateoperating means comprising a lever, means operatively connecting said lever with each of said swingable gate-forming means whereby manipulation of said lever may control both of the gate-forming means, the means, connecting said lever with at least one of said gate-forming means, including a connection whereby the operation of said gate-forming means may take place in a predetermined delayed sequence with respect to the other gate-forming means, at least one of said gate-forming means comprising a rotatable upright formed with a gear, and the means connecting the lever with said gate-forming means comprising a movable rack in meshing engagement with said gear.

5. A milking station comprising a plurality of milking cages of generall rectangular configura .tion, and comprising an upright member forming the corner of one cage and also the diagonally opposite corner of the next adjacent cage. said cages having entrance and exit openings arranged therein such that said upright defines a side of the exit opening of one cage and also defines a side of the entrance opening of the next adjacent cage.

6, A milking station as set forth in claim 5, including an entrance and an exit gate for each cage and manually operable means on each cage for opening and closing the gates thereof in a predetermined sequence.

7. A milking station as set forth in claim 5, including swingable gate-forming means rotatably mounted at the exit of one cage and at the entrance of the next adjacent cage, the entrance gate-forming means of one cage and the exit gate- .forming means of the other both cooperating with said upright member when in closed position.

' 8. A milking station as set forth in claim 5, including an entrance and an exit gate for each cage, and manually-operable means on each cage for opening and closing the gates thereof in a predetermined sequence, the entrance gate of one cage and the exit gate of the other both closing upon said upright member. 4

9. A milking station comprising a plurality of milking cages of generally rectangular configuration arranged in stepped relationship in a row, the corner of one cage being adjacent the diagonally opposite corner of the next adjacent cage, a cow aisle on one side of said row, and an operators aisle on the other side of said row, each cage having entrance and exit gates opening into said cow aisle, a yoke in each cage adapted when closed to entrap the neck of an animal in the cage and when open to release 'the neck of the animal and permit the animalto escape from the cage through the open yoke, and gate-operating means including at least one manual operating member on the side of the stall facing the operators aisle, said means also opening and closing said yoke, a latch to secure the yoke in latched position and means actuated by said gate operating means for tripping the latch.

10. A milking station comprising a plurality of milking cages of generally rectangular configuration arranged in stepped relationship in a row, the corner of one cage being adjacent thediagonally opposite corner of the next adjacent cage, a cow aisle on one side of said row, and an operators aisle on the other side of said row, each cage having an entrance gate at one end thereof and an exit gate at one side thereof, bothof said gates opening into said cow aisle, a yoke in eachcage adapted when closed to' entrap the neck of ananimal in the cage and when open to release the neck of the animal and permit theanimal to escape from the cage through the open yoke, and gate-operating means including at least one manual operating member on the side of the stall facing the operators aisle, said means also opening and closing said yoke, a latch to secure the yoke in latched position and means actuated by said gate operating means for tripping the latch.

11. A milking station comprising a plurality of milking cages of generally rectangular configuration arranged in stepped relationship in a row, a cow aisle on one side of said row, and an op erators aisle on the other side of said row, each stall having an entrance and an exit comprising a yoke adapted when closed to entrap the neck of an animal in the cage and when open to release the neck of the-animal and permit the animal to escape from the cage through the open yoke, and a manually operable member for opening and closing said yoke, a latch to secure the yoke in latched position, and means actuated by said member for tripping the latch,

12. A milking station comprising a plurality of milking cages of generally rectangular configuration arrangedin stepped relationship in a row, a cow aisle on one side of said row, and an operators aisle on the other side of said row, an

upright member forming the corner of one cage and also the diagonally opposite corner of the next adjacent cage, said cages having entrance and exit openings arranged therein such that said upright defines a side of the exit opening of one cage and also defines a side of the entrance 30 opening of the next adjacent cage.

HENRY B. BABSON. JACOB J. STAMPEN. 

